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Eisenhower Sailors Hear from Home
Story Number: NNS090304-21
Release Date: 3/4/2009 5:10:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nathan A. Parde
USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) received their first mail call March 2.
"Ike received approximately 2,100 pounds of mail on our first carrier on-board delivery," said Chief Postal Clerk Surrette Mazique, supply department, S-12 division leading chief petty officer.
Responsible for the mail of more than 5,000 Sailors, Mazique has developed a system to process and deliver the mail to its intended recipient.
"Once we receive word from the air transfer office that we have inbound mail coming to the ship, we announce over the 1MC for a working party to muster in either the hangar bay or the post office," said Mazique.
Mazique explained that the location will depend on the amount of mail that is received.
"Then, we get the weight readings for each of the packages and separate the mail sent to ship's company from the mail sent to squadrons," said Mazique. "Next, we make piles of packages for each department on the ship and announce 'mail call' over the ship's intercom."
Department representatives pick up packages and a within a few hours, after all of the ship's letters are sorted, a second 'mail call' is made to Ike's post office, Mazique added.
The amount of time it takes to receive and sort a mail delivery is dependent on the size of the load and the size of the working party.
"The assistance of the crew helps alleviate a lot of the man hours and physical labor we face every time that mail comes in. We only have four postal clerks supporting the entire crew. Any help from the ship's company is appreciated, and you will get your mail quicker if you are there helping," said Mazique.
Ike Sailors enjoy any possible opportunity to hear from their loved ones, said Aircrew Survival Equipmentman Airman Robert Reckord.
"It lets Sailors know that they have someone back at home who is thinking about them," said Reckord. "This boosts morale and keeps a Sailor's hope up during deployment."
The Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is underway for a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the ongoing rotation of forward-deployed forces to support maritime security operations in international waters.
For more news from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn69/.
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